The South Korean entertainment industry has served up some absolute gems over the last few years, with Squid Game and Parasite the two biggest hits from the country. Now, audiences around the world are seeking out more Korean content, as it has proven it has the credentials to compete with the best from the West.
Netflix is still benefiting greatly from the popularity of Squid Game, and now it’s looking to add other Korean offerings to ride that hype train. Karma is one series that could potentially be a massive hit.
Karma Could Capitalize on Squid Game Hype
Squid Game was supposed to be a standalone series initially, but thanks to its monumental success, it led to two more seasons. The offering from Hwang Dong-hyuk has been a cultural phenomenon and is Netflix’s most-watched series by a significant margin. It has helped put the streaming platform back in pole position in the streaming wars, and Netflix can now use that hype to promote other Korean offerings.
Squid Game has become a sprawling franchise that spans beyond the Netflix series, and this has helped even more people become aware of it. For instance, there’s the spinoff reality series, Squid Game: The Challenge, and the Netflix game, Squid Game: Unleashed. There’s even an online casino NJ real money slot game, Squid Game: One Lucky Day, which was officially commissioned by Netflix to corner that section of the market as well.
If Karma is to have a chance of replicating Squid Game’s success, it will need to follow the same model that Dong-hyuk’s show used. As well as expanding the franchise in a multitude of different places, this also involved generating a social media frenzy that helped to spread the word about the series rapidly.
All-Star Cast Will Reel in Viewers
There are various elements to Karma that should give it a chance at following in Squid Game’s footsteps and attracting a massive audience. One of the main things working in its favour is the fact that it includes Squid Game season one’s antagonist Park Hae-soo in a starring role. The 43-year-old was one of the reasons for Squid Game’s popularity, and he could have the same effect on Karma.
Hae-soo is joined by an all-star cast of other top Korean talents, including Shin Min-a, Lee Hee-joon, and Kim Sing-kyun. Similar to how a variety of disparate characters are brought together in Squid Game, Karma will include a section of people from different worlds who all collide due to escalating circumstances.
The series is written and directed by Lee Il-hyung, who is best known for his feature film, A Violent Prosecutor in 2016. That offering was a huge success, and became the second highest-grossing South Korean picture that year. It will be interesting to see Il-hyung bring his talent to the smaller screen in the upcoming Netflix show.
The global market has never been more eager for Korean content, and there’s a strong chance that Karma can use that as a springboard for success. It may not achieve the astonishing feats of Squid Game, but it could come close if it replicates the Squid Game franchise model.
